Driver ‘abandons ship’ as van gets stuck

Mar 10 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal

A RED faced council worker had to “abandon ship” over the weekend after his van was stranded by the tide in North Tyneside.

The accident happened when the Ford Transit refuse truck slipped off the causeway to St Mary’s island in Whitley Bay and was partly submerged by waves on Saturday.

Despite the best efforts of onlookers, the police and the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade the truck was stuck for several hours. The driver and his passenger managed to free themselves after the accident at about 1.40pm and wade to safety before the van was eventually retrieved at 7pm when the tide receded.

Onlookers said rubbish and fuel from the wagon, branded with North Tyneside Council’s logo, leaked into the sea.

Steve Middleton, 35, of Delaval Road, Whitley Bay, was in the area taking some photographs and stopped to capture the rescue effort.

He said: “The driver tried to get back across the causeway but he left it too late after emptying the bins on the island. He sat in the front of the truck for a while on his mobile phone looking embarrassed.”

Visitors to the island were stranded for several hours as the van blocked the causeway.

Christina Reid, 31, from Sunderland, said: “We were enjoying the scenery and were only planning to stay for half an hour but instead got stuck for four hours as the van was blocking the causeway.”

A Sea King helicopter was sent to the scene from RAF Boulmer and Cullercoats Lifeboat was put on stand-by.

No one was injured in the incident.

No one from North Tyneside Council was available for comment yesterday.